Who was Cornelius the Centurion and why does his life still matter to us today? Discover what you can learn about this Roman officer from Scripture, including his important role in the Gospel coming to the Gentiles.

Cornelius shows up in Acts 10, but his impact reaches far beyond one chapter. He was a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, a man of authority, influence, and surprising devotion to Israel’s God.

Cornelius appears in the Book of Acts as a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea, an important coastal city in ancient Judea built by Herod the Great and named in honor of Caesar Augustus.

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision.

Acts 10 NIV - Cornelius Calls for Peter - At Caesarea - Bible ...

Despite being a Roman, Cornelius was a worshiper of God, a Jewish proselyte known and respected by the Jewish community (Acts 10:22). Cornelius was a devout man who regularly prayed and gave to charity (verse 2).

One of these Gentile figures in the Scripture is Cornelius the Centurion (or St. Cornelius in liturgical denominations). He is even known as the first Gentile Christian.